The 6 Best Tips for Binding in the Summer

Binding is messy business, and the summer makes it even messier.

In the summer when the air is already sticky, the last thing you want to do is pull on a skin-tight compression shirt. You feel hot, you overheat, you start sweating like crazy, and your skin starts to feel irritated. We’ve been there! Here are some tips to make binding in the summer a little less uncomfortable.

1. Be smart and safe about binding.

It can’t be said enough: make sure you are binding your chest safely, especially in the summer months when your body is already feeling stress from high temperatures, humidity, and the weather.Never use duct tape or ace bandages. Binding with these materials can restrict your ability to breathe and move properly. Ace bandages in particular are designed to constrict, so as you breathe, they get tighter and tighter and can really hurt you.

2. Try a mid-length or sports-bra style binder.

You might find that wearing a full-length binder during the summer months makes you overheat, or you can sweat more, leading to skin irritation. If you can, switch to a sports-bra or mid-length style binder which typically reach your belly button.

3. Wear fabrics designed to stay cool, like cotton or linen.

Most binders are made from elastic materials like nylon and spandex to offer powerful compression, but these types of materials will trap in heat against your body. So, make sure the clothes you wear over your binder are natural fibers that have a reputation for keeping you cool. Skip the polyester shirts, as polyester in particular can trap heat in against your body, causing you to sweat and overheat more. Instead, grab a cotton tee – cotton is excellent because it lets your skin breathe, and choosing looser cuts that give you ample space in the armpit area will allow for evaporation and the free flow of air, keeping you as cool as possible.

4. Try an undershirt under your binder.

Some folks swear by putting a thin cotton undershirt underneath to add an extra layer between their skin and the binder. This undershirt also helps to absorb sweat from your skin. For others, the undershirt rides up or bunches under the binder, making it uncomfortable in a different way. Experiment to see if it’s right for you!

6. If you can, skip binding here and there (or altogether!)

On those scorching hot summer days, sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is skip binding, period. Give your body time to breathe and relax, especially if you’re just lounging around and not going out in public. Plus, there are tons of ways to skip binding completely and still dress how we want and look great. If you have dysphoria and feel like you can’t go a whole day without binding, we get it: maybe try to give yourself a break during the early afternoon when it’s the highest temperature.

Point 5cc has binder-hiding muscle tees perfect for looking sharp and staying cool this summer!

Limited sizes and quantities, so grab yours today! Point 5cc has some sweet binder-hiding* muscle tees perfect for staying cool and stealth all summer long. Perfect for the gym, beach, or hanging around, we have a few different styles of lightweight cotton tops with the Point 5cc logo, the Super-T design, and more! Plus, we offer tons of cotton t-shirts, tank tops, and fitness stringer tank tops, so check them out and shop now!

*We cannot guarantee that muscle tees will completely cover your binder because there are so many different brands, styles, and shapes of binders. However, they should mostly or completely cover the average binder.